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merrill
Joined: 29 May 2009
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 Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:27 am Post subject: Visit to doctor incurring charge of 40 cents...? |
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Is noone else amazed by the price of healthcare and drugs in Korea?
I went to a medical clinic this morning to get a doctor to take a look at me, and was rather astounded to be charged a paltry 500 won. I know we have medical insurance and all that, but how is it even possible to charge that much?
Add on the extra 70%-80% the government is paying and it still falls somewhat short of the $50 I pay back home for a ten minute consultation....
And to add to that, the swag of drugs I was prescribed cost only 2500 won. It's almost worth it just to fly all the way over here and get a prescription filled.... |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:51 am Post subject: Re: Visit to doctor incurring charge of 40 cents...? |
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| merrill wrote: |
Is noone else amazed by the price of healthcare and drugs in Korea?
I went to a medical clinic this morning to get a doctor to take a look at me, and was rather astounded to be charged a paltry 500 won. I know we have medical insurance and all that, but how is it even possible to charge that much?
Add on the extra 70%-80% the government is paying and it still falls somewhat short of the $50 I pay back home for a ten minute consultation....
And to add to that, the swag of drugs I was prescribed cost only 2500 won. It's almost worth it just to fly all the way over here and get a prescription filled.... |
South Korea was a country which some of our relatives fought to defend from communism. It is a country which was once the poorest in the world. Yet, with respect to the USA, it now arguably has more affordable health care which is competitive in terms of overall quality. Why hasn't the USA in the 50+ years since the end of the Korean War been unable to accomplish the same? It does seem somewhat iron doesn't it. |
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merrill
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:35 am Post subject: |
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Ah yes.
Whenever I feel annoyed about lengthy patient waiting lists for free surgery or have to fork out full price for a non-government-subsidised drug in my home country, I can always console myself with the thought 'It could be worse - we could have the US healthcare system'... |
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warren pease
Joined: 12 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:36 am Post subject: |
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Pharmaceutical co. price fixing, malpractice suits, insurance companies?
I don't think that's iron(ic). Just a different system. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:41 am Post subject: |
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things are changing with health care here. some of my co-workers have told me that the system is being more modeled like the us currently.
i have seen that in the last couple of days with my visits for an elbow injury. it hasn't exactly been cheap to date and will only be worse the more i need cts and whatever else. |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:46 am Post subject: |
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| warren pease wrote: |
Pharmaceutical co. price fixing, malpractice suits, insurance companies?
I don't think that's iron(ic). Just a different system. |
It is ironic because the USA tries so hard to be the champion of the world while it seems unable to resolve a number of important domestic issues. It is also ironic because South Korea, a comparatively poorer country until recently, was able to accomplish having affordable and reasonable health care whereas the USA, a fairly wealthy country, simply cannot seem to get anything done. |
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Universalis
Joined: 17 Nov 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:58 am Post subject: |
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Yep, I Was shocked too once a few years back when I paid a hospital bill in change. I'm a big fan of the Korean health care system.
Brian |
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warren pease
Joined: 12 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:01 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Konglishman"]
| warren pease wrote: |
Pharmaceutical co. price fixing, malpractice suits, insurance companies?
I don't think that's iron(ic). Just a different system. |
It is ironic because the USA tries so hard to be the champion of the world while it seems unable to resolve a number of important domestic issues. It is also ironic because South Korea, a comparatively poorer country until recently, was able to accomplish having affordable and reasonable health care whereas the USA, a fairly wealthy country, simply cannot seem to get anything done.[/quote
u think it's ironic that the US Has not developed a perfect socio\governmental system that exists without flaw or reason for complaint?u know what, Usain Bolt may not be able to run fast enough to go back in time but I'd still respect his opinion on how to improve my mile time (8:00 btw)
and my short answer on the Korean health care system is: if u had cancer and a butt load of cash where would u rather be? Like the old joke: why is divorce so expensive?
Because it's worth it |
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storysinger81
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:03 am Post subject: |
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| I have this thought daily, OP. I was a teacher in the US with excellent insurance and grew up with a mom who worked for the gov't (also excellent health insurance) and still, I'm dumbfounded by my annual healthcare costs here. During my time in Korea, I've been diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune condition that requires 6 pills/day of one med and 2/day of another plus monthly visits to a specialist. My costs still work out to about $30/month INCLUDING birth control. Ridiculous. |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:20 am Post subject: |
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[quote="warren pease"]
| Konglishman wrote: |
| warren pease wrote: |
Pharmaceutical co. price fixing, malpractice suits, insurance companies?
I don't think that's iron(ic). Just a different system. |
It is ironic because the USA tries so hard to be the champion of the world while it seems unable to resolve a number of important domestic issues. It is also ironic because South Korea, a comparatively poorer country until recently, was able to accomplish having affordable and reasonable health care whereas the USA, a fairly wealthy country, simply cannot seem to get anything done.[/quote
u think it's ironic that the US Has not developed a perfect socio\governmental system that exists without flaw or reason for complaint?u know what, Usain Bolt may not be able to run fast enough to go back in time but I'd still respect his opinion on how to improve my mile time (8:00 btw)
and my short answer on the Korean health care system is: if u had cancer and a butt load of cash where would u rather be? Like the old joke: why is divorce so expensive?
Because it's worth it |
I am not suggesting Korea or anywhere else is perfect or should be perfect. However, I find it very telling that among the industrialized nations, the USA is the only nation that cannot seem to get affordable health insurance for everyone. Now, I am not saying that I am not proud of my country. In fact, I am proud that the USA was the first and only nation to go to the moon among other things. But that is not what this thread is about. This thread is about health care and I think that it is a fair criticism to say that the USA is seriously lagging behind other industrialized nations in this category.
As for having "butt load of cash", short of becoming a famous writer, I do not foresee this ever being the case for me. Besides, cancer treatment in Korea apparently worked well enough for one of my old students.
Last edited by Konglishman on Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| storysinger81 wrote: |
| I have this thought daily, OP. I was a teacher in the US with excellent insurance and grew up with a mom who worked for the gov't (also excellent health insurance) and still, I'm dumbfounded by my annual healthcare costs here. During my time in Korea, I've been diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune condition that requires 6 pills/day of one med and 2/day of another plus monthly visits to a specialist. My costs still work out to about $30/month INCLUDING birth control. Ridiculous. |
that is great and all, but don't get used to it is all i'm saying as i type this with one usable arm. things are changing with health care here. maybe it is later than sooner, but i trust what i've been told. it's still a much better situation, but expect to see changes (ie....no more chump change dr. visits) |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| Konglishman wrote: |
I am not suggesting Korea or anywhere else is perfect or should be perfect. However, I find it very telling that among the industrialized nations, the USA is the only nation that cannot seem to get affordable health insurance for everyone. Now, I am not saying that I am not proud of my country. In fact, I am proud that the USA was the first and only nation to go to the moon among other things. But that is not what this thread is about. This thread is about health care and I think that it is a fair criticism to say that the USA is seriously lagging behind other nations in this category. |
+1. What baffles me is the hostility towards creating such a system amongst certain demographics. I really can't work out why anyone would oppose an efficient, well-funded, free public health system. |
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merrill
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:37 am Post subject: |
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After my 500 won doctors visit this morning I was feeling overcharged by the 3500 won visit last week 
Well I maintain these figures are an amazing feat ...
Not only in the price of a trip to a doctor but an optometrist as well! I got a quote for my mum to get an eyesight check and a new pair of glasses, and the result was 40,000 won - only about $1450 dollars cheaper than back home! Hence, she will fit in an optometrist appointment when she visits me in Korea next year. |
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Rusty Shackleford
Joined: 08 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:40 am Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| Konglishman wrote: |
I am not suggesting Korea or anywhere else is perfect or should be perfect. However, I find it very telling that among the industrialized nations, the USA is the only nation that cannot seem to get affordable health insurance for everyone. Now, I am not saying that I am not proud of my country. In fact, I am proud that the USA was the first and only nation to go to the moon among other things. But that is not what this thread is about. This thread is about health care and I think that it is a fair criticism to say that the USA is seriously lagging behind other nations in this category. |
+1. What baffles me is the hostility towards creating such a system amongst certain demographics. I really can't work out why anyone would oppose an efficient, well-funded, free public health system. |
The proposed changes to the US system will do nothing to improve the cost of health care and will look nothing like the Korean system. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:42 am Post subject: |
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| merrill wrote: |
Not only in the price of a trip to a doctor but an optometrist as well! I got a quote for my mum to get an eyesight check and a new pair of glasses, and the result was 40,000 won - only about $1450 dollars cheaper than back home! Hence, she will fit in an optometrist appointment when she visits me in Korea next year. |
Sorry, how much? $1450+ for an eye check and glasses? Jesus, even in the privately owned stores in the UK, it's free for eye check plus not very expensive for glasses (I paid �149 on a buy one get one free deal for my last pair (both are designer frames, as well)). |
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